LangningPremium
join:2003-04-28
Marlborough, MA | Where to buy silicone sealant for boiler blower assembly The blower motor on my Weil McLain boiler stopped working. It just hummed and got really hot on the housing. The boiler wouldn't start because the blower is not working.
I disconnected the inducer motor assembly. The whole OEM unit is more than $250 (pic 1). However, I found and bought a new Fasco motor (only) for $43 shipped. And in order to put the whole unit back on the blower housing, I need "silicone sealant (GE 108 or 808; D.C. 732 or 700)" according the picture 2.
My question is where to buy this silicone sealant? Brand? Where (from a B&M store)? |
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TheMGPremium
join:2007-09-04
Canada
kudos:1 Reviews:
 ·TekSavvy DSL
1 edit | said by Langning:The blower motor on my Weil McLain boiler stopped working. It just hummed and got really hot on the housing. The boiler wouldn't start because the blower is not working. You probably didn't need to do that. The motor is likely still fine, it sounds like the capacitor has failed. Replacement capacitors can easily be obtained at most HVAC supply stores. You might be able to get one from the manufacturer too.
In case you don't know, the metal can that's strapped to the side of the motor is the capacitor.
Two steps to determine if the motor is OK:
1) power up the motor, give the rotor a bit of a spin with your hand, if the motor starts running then proceed to the next step
2) use a multimeter and test for continuity of the start winding, if you have good continuity, then the motor is OK and the capacitor is bad |
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TheMGPremium
join:2007-09-04
Canada
kudos:1
2 edits | reply to Langning
For the silicon I'd probably use high-temperature silicon. I'm assuming this goes on the flue box so it will get kind of hot.
It shouldn't be too hard to find. HVAC stores should have it I think. |
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 Doctor OldsI Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
kudos:18
2 edits | reply to Langning
GE Silicone RTV108 Clear Silicone
»www.amazon.com/dp/B000LDHRJ8?smi···Code=asn
quote:
GE Silicone RTV108 Clear Silicone Caulks Clear Silicone Size 10.1 Ounces Premium Milspec Industrial Caulk to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit
Grainger (below) has both:
Are you close to this location?
WW Grainger
209 Brooks St
Worcester, MA
(508) 853-7300
+++++++++++++++++++++++
GENERAL ELECTRIC RTV Silicone Model #IS808
»www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/4UH07
quote:
Silicone, Container Size 10.1 Ounces, Style General Purpose Industrial Sealant, Color Clear, Economy, 400 Degrees Fahrenheit
Silicone,Clear,10.1 Oz RTV 108
»www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/4UH12
quote:
Clear Silicone, Size 10.1 Ounces, Premium Milspec Industrial Caulk to 400 Degrees Fahrenheit
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What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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LangningPremium
join:2003-04-28
Marlborough, MA | reply to TheMG
I called my local ACE Hardware in Hudson, MA and they have "Rutland High Heat Silicone Sealant" in stock. I will pick one up after work today.
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LangningPremium
join:2003-04-28
Marlborough, MA | reply to TheMG
said by TheMG:In case you don't know, the metal can that's strapped to the side of the motor is the capacitor. Two steps to determine if the motor is OK: 1) power up the motor, give the rotor a bit of a spin with your hand, if the motor starts running then proceed to the next step 2) use a multimeter and test for continuity of the start winding, if you have good continuity, then the motor is OK and the capacitor is bad I thought the piggy thing is some type of thermal shut-off device when the motor body gets too hot.
I disconnected the whole assembly last night and the motor is connected to the capacitor with 2 wire clips. Can I unplug the capacitor clips and then hot wire the motor to run your test 1?
I am confused as what to do with step 2. I have 5 wires to the motor -- 1 hot, 1 neutral, 1 ground, and 2 wires clips to the capacitor. Where to put my multimeter to test for continuity of the "start winding"? |
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| reply to Doctor Olds
Any of the high temp RTV silicone sealants I have ever seen are red in color and are good to 600 degrees F. Dow Corning, GE, Sprayon, etc all make it. The GE RTV108 is just a standard everyday silicone and I would not use it in high temp applications around a boiler.
Reading further it looks like the OP has found a product that will work fine. |
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LangningPremium
join:2003-04-28
Marlborough, MA | reply to TheMG
Upon looking up the net, I find this
»toad.net/~jsmeenen/motor.html
If you have an electrical failure where the motor smokes or stinks it is probably done. If the motor gets hot it will usually shut off because it has a thermostat inside to protect it. A motor that was normally working ok and suddenly gets hot may have a bad run capacitor. The run capacitor is a round or flat silver can rated at 5 to 7.5 Mfd (micro farads) for most 208-230 volt motors. To test a run capacitor use this test chart NEVER an ohm meter. If this is the case you can usually just replace the capacitor and your problems may go away. Only single phase motors have run capacitors, three phase motors do not. Some motors for belt drive applications will have a start capacitor but no run capacitor. Some larger motors will have both. So now I do think I may very likely have a bad "run capacitor". |
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 cdruGo ColtsPremium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
kudos:5
 ·Frontier FiOS
| reply to ImaDuffer264
said by ImaDuffer264:The GE RTV108 is just a standard everyday silicone and I would not use it in high temp applications around a boiler. I'd guess that Weil McLain knows the limitations of GE 108 and where it might be applied and wouldn't explicitly mention it if it wasn't suited. |
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LangningPremium
join:2003-04-28
Marlborough, MA | reply to Langning
I find a Weil McLain distributor in Framingham, MA that carries motor capacitor but I don't have the boiler model or the spec on the capacitor to look up for the part#. I am leaving work early now and bring the motor unit to see if I can buy the replacement capacitor.
The motor I bought on Ebay this weekend will probably take days to arrive and my family can't endure low-50s temperature inside house 1 more night. |
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| reply to cdru
I stand corrected. That's what happens when you only skim over a post. Certainly if Weil McLain states that it's OK to use then it most certainly is.
I actually installed a Weil McLain boiler about 25 years ago in my old house and I one time had to get into the flue box by removing the cover. At that time they specifically mentioned high temp RTV. I believe it was Dow Corning 736 that they recommended? |
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LangningPremium
join:2003-04-28
Marlborough, MA | reply to Langning
Boss just gave me the OK to go home and I will stop by the hardware store to pick up the high heat sealant and an electric cord with a split end so that I can hot wire the motor to the receptacle outlet to test the motor.
My current question is: can I remove the "run capacitor" and still run the test 1? |
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Doctor OldsI Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
kudos:18 | reply to ImaDuffer264
said by ImaDuffer264:Any of the high temp RTV silicone sealants I have ever seen are red in color and are good to 600 degrees F. The GE RTV108 is just a standard everyday silicone GE 108 RTV is the exact specification from the OP's installation sheet and it is rated for 400 F.
Regards,
Doctor Olds
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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| Um... cdru  already got me on that. Again, my mistake. Maybe I should be dragged to the street and stoned to death  . I'll try to read the posts more carefully in the future  . |
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Doctor OldsI Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
kudos:18 | said by ImaDuffer264: Maybe I should be dragged to the street and stoned to death . Only if that will make you feel better.  j/k
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What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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1 edit | reply to Langning
That capacitor is held on with a bracket.
A refrigeration supply house may have the capacitor u need.
They stock hundreds of types.
As long as the electrical characteristics are the same.
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Southern Ontario,Canada |
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 SandSharkLong may you runPremium,MVM
join:2000-05-23
Santa Fe, TX
kudos:3 | reply to Langning
It's also likely it's not the motor or the capacitor. The squirrel cage they use on those draft inducers (as you can see in the photo) aren't made out of the best steel. One of the byproducts of combustion is H2O (water), so the blower wheels will literally disintegrate inside the housing due to rust. Have you taken the assembly out of the boiler and looked at the squirrel cage?
As far as the high temperature silicone sealant, most auto parts stores sell it. As far as the capacitor, the specifications should be printed or etched on the capacitor. |
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LangningPremium
join:2003-04-28
Marlborough, MA | reply to Tyreman
The hardware store didn't a plug with 3 pig-tails so I made 1 from a computer power cable... The blower wheel was really tight and wouldn't spin (freely). I unscrewed the little allen screw and I needed a little PB Blaster to break it lose; naturally I sprayed PB Blaster onto the shaft inside front motor housing... On reassembling the blower wheel, I noticed the shaft slide in/out the motor housing a little.
Put my power back on and the wheel didn't spin and no hum either. So I shut off the power again and gave the wheel a little spin. It must be my good PB Blaster lubricated some internal component; all the sudden, the wheel span freely. Put the power back on, the blower wheel was blowing literally across the whole room. It had a nice sound and everything was indicating the motor and the run capacitor are good.
So I decided not to pick up the new capacitor and put the blower unit back on and waited 4 hours for the silicone sealant to cure (supposedly 24 hrs). The boiler started and flame ignited and hot water circulated, we got heat finally...
I still have a problem and will require me to disassemble the blower unit again when I receive my new motor/capacitor of ebay. During the blower spin up (2 seconds) and spin down (4-6 seconds) after the boiler is shut off, I hear clicking/small object bouncing sounds from the blower housing like the blower wheel is hitting something. I don't know if it is related the sliding shaft or I did not put the allen screw tight enough or I left a screw inside.
Meanwhile, we are happy to have heat back. I can't even describe the difference between 68 degree now vs 55 last night. |
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 jack bGone FishingPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-08
Cape Cod
kudos:1 | I see you have the requisite last-resort-fine-adjustment tool:
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TheMGPremium
join:2007-09-04
Canada
kudos:1 Reviews:
·TekSavvy DSL
| reply to Langning
Sounds like the bearing probably seized due to lack of lubrication.
said by Langning:I still have a problem and will require me to disassemble the blower unit again when I receive my new motor/capacitor of ebay. During the blower spin up (2 seconds) and spin down (4-6 seconds) after the boiler is shut off, I hear clicking/small object bouncing sounds from the blower housing like the blower wheel is hitting something. I don't know if it is related the sliding shaft or I did not put the allen screw tight enough or I left a screw inside. Meanwhile, we are happy to have heat back. I can't even describe the difference between 68 degree now vs 55 last night. It is normal for the shaft to slide a little. Most of these motors actually have one or both of the bearings held tight by a spring, which will allow you to push the shaft in or out a little. That's for ball bearing motors. For motors with sleeve bearings, it's perfectly normal for the shaft to slide a little without even pushing on it.
Check the alignment of the blower wheel. Push the shaft in as far as it will go, the blower wheel should then sit very close to the motor mounting plate, but not touching obviously.
If the blower wheel is too far in it may rub against the mounting plate, if it is too far out it may rub against the internal part of the housing.
Although this is probably unlikely, check for any debris or accumulated gunk inside the blower housing on the boiler. |
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